STB ramps up digital efforts to woo Chinese tourists

Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is ramping up its efforts to lure in tourists from the Chinese markets.According to a press statement by STB, it has launched “its most comprehensive suite of digital and mobile services for the Chinese market to date” which allows Chinese visitors to search for Singapore destination offerings, navigate Singapore and share their travel experience.STB has also inked a deal for the first time with online travel services Alitrip and Tuniu, and social review sites Dianping and Mafengwo, to curate and distribute “compelling content” on Singapore's destination offerings. This partnership is over a period of two to three years.In addition, STB also launched a new YourSingapore WeChat Service and Baidu service that will provide consumers with real-time location-based services via their mobile to explore Singapore with ease. The initiatives are also expected to amplify STB's current digital marketing efforts for China, which include STB Weibo (440,000 fans) and WeChat Subscription3 (76,000 followers) accounts, and collaborations with video portals such as Youku (11 million views for STB-commissioned micro-movies) to push out Singapore content.Edward Chew, regional director (Greater China), Singapore Tourism Board explained the integrated suite of digital and mobile services allows STB to extend its digital presence in the important key-source market of China. The market has seen a surge in the number of Free and Independent Travellers (FIT) and the proliferation of mobile usage to search for travel information. These partnerships will enable STB to engage these digital-savvy visitors at various junctures, from attracting them to visit Singapore, to delivering an enhanced visitor experience here, and encouraging them to share their experiences post-trip.  "Besides the need for comprehensive information for trip planning, they also desire real-time useful tips, navigation, payment and translation tools to explore a destination independently," said Chew. He added that China's digital landscape is unique, and STB is “excited to work with some of the most influential Chinese digital players in the market currently to provide innovative content and services for the Chinese visitors.”Ultimately, through the campaign STB hopes to drive awareness and conversion for Singapore pre-trip, to equipping the visitors with necessary tools to explore Singapore with ease, and sharing their experiences with the online community thereafter.“We are definitely keen to work with even more Chinese digital players in the near future to further widen STB's digital footprint in China," Chew said.Singapore's tourism industry players are also expected to benefit from these digital partnerships with increased exposure to their product offerings in the Chinese market. For instance, attractions such as River Safari and Gardens by the Bay will be featured in the new YourSingapore WeChat account, while the offerings of Sentosa-HarbourFront precinct will be detailed in the new Baidu Connect service. More precincts and attractions will be added to these two platforms at a later date."We are very excited to be part of STB's continued expansion into the Chinese digital marketing landscape. The Chinese visitors will be able to discover the many hidden gems of the Sentosa-HarbourFront precinct easily through the YourSingapore Baidu Connect service. This platform will open doors of opportunities for the businesses and attractions of the precinct to connect with the Chinese visitors and deliver in-depth experiences and storytelling services to them," said Khoo Shao Tze, chairman of Sentosa-HarbourFront Business said.Lionel Yeo, chief executive, Singapore Tourism Board said: "The digital and mobile revolution has drastically changed the way visitors research for and consume travel products, and underscores how we must stay ahead of the curve to adapt to the changing needs of our visitors. Only by doing so are we able to ensure Singapore remains top-of-mind as a destination.""Visitor-centric experiences and marketing are both integral to our drive towards Quality Tourism; this expansion of digital services for China is a strong illustration of our commitment," Yeo added.The partnerships is aimed at creating a sustainable footfall from the Chinese market which was Singapore's second-largest contributor of international visitor arrivals (1.7 mil) and tourism receipts (S$2.6 bil) in 2014. For 2015, the number of China visitor arrivals for January to August has increased by 19% year-on-year to 1,462,974. STB will also continue to conduct its regular trade marketing workshops with the local industry to raise awareness of the various digital marketing platforms available.Other than China, STB is also looking to make a big push in the Malaysian market. It recently launched a new campaign in Malaysia called “Your Best Weekend Yet” to encourage Malaysians to visit Singapore over weekends and holiday periods throughout the year.Locally, the tourism body is currently in the midst of a creative pitch. It will continue working with incumbent JWT until 2016. JWT will not be re-pitching for the account.